The International Hunger Relief Committee Oxfam publishes annually ranking of countries by food quality and availability. Based on the results of 2013, Russia took 44th place in this ranking out of 125 possible.
Our neighbors are Kazakhstan, Moldova, Mexico, Chile and the Maldives. The situation with food availability is worst in Burundi. Well, you will learn about where quality food is available to everyone from our top ten today, which includes the leaders of the rating.
10. Portugal
The Portuguese do not overuse the excellent local port wine, preferring vegetables, lean meat and cereals. Quality products in this country are available to almost 100% of the population.
9. Italy
Italian cuisine is rich in vegetables, seafood, and fruits, which are quite affordable. The famous Italian pasta was also classified as a healthy and high-quality product, since in Italy pasta is prepared only from whole flour without any additives.
8. Ireland
Residents of the “Emerald Isle” have high-quality dairy products, baked goods and locally produced vegetables on their tables. Food is accessible to the vast majority of Irish citizens.
7. Belgium
The Belgians are one of the most prosperous nations in Europe. Therefore, it is not surprising that citizens of the country can afford quality food. By the way, food prices in Belgium are by no means low.
6. Austria
Austrian food products are of excellent quality. Well, the ratio of the country’s citizens’ salaries to food prices allows Austrians to eat healthy, eating fresh and healthy foods every day.
5. Sweden
Experts note the favorable ecology of this Scandinavian country, which makes it possible to obtain high-quality dairy products, grains, vegetables and fruits. Food prices are kept down by a stable economy, and the quality of food guarantees Swedes' commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
4. Denmark
The food situation in Denmark is very similar to the Swedish picture. It is worth noting just a few differences in diet. If in Sweden the lion's share of national dishes are fish, then the Danes are more committed to meat, dairy products and grains.
3. Switzerland
The high quality of Swiss products does not require separate proof. Despite the fact that the cost of food in Switzerland is often higher than the European average, citizens’ salaries allow them to purchase almost any food without restrictions.
2. France
The French traditionally adhere to a healthy diet. Almost every family can afford high-quality locally produced products: fish, vegetables, cereals, cheeses. Much has been said about the benefits of famous French wines.
1. Netherlands
This country took first position in the ranking based on the sum of all four criteria: the availability and quality of food, the impact of nutrition on the health of the nation and the level of food prices. Experts noted that the Dutch receive a perfectly balanced diet at a consistently low price.
The Netherlands is the best country in the world for food availability and nutritional value, according to a recent study.
To the surprise of the researchers, the UK (13th place) and the USA (21st place) were not in the top ten.
The new report, presented by Oxfam, was based on a study of food consumption in 125 countries. In it, scientists considered answers to 4 questions:
1. Do people have enough food? (The level of malnutrition and the number of children with low weight were measured)
2. Can people afford to eat? (The level of food prices was measured in comparison with other goods)
3. What is the quality of the food? (Diet diversification and access to clean water were measured)
4. What are the consequences for people of food consumption? (Measured rates of diabetes and obesity in the population)
The results showed that Holland is the leader in these indicators, followed by France and Switzerland.
The Netherlands' first place is due to relatively low prices and a greater variety of healthy and dietary products than its European neighbors.
The top also included: Austria (4), Belgium (5), Denmark (6), Sweden (7), Australia (8), Ireland (9), Italy (10).
Australia has the highest obesity rate among the top ten countries - 27% of Australians are obese. But the Netherlands is also at risk - 20% of the population have a body mass index of more than 30 (the norm is 18-25).
Chad took last place because... The products there have little nutritional value, are expensive and monotonous, and are prepared without observing sanitary and hygienic standards. 30% of children in Chad are underweight.
Neighboring Chad at the bottom of the table are Ethiopia and Angola, the remaining anti-top 10 consists of countries located south of the Sahara and Arab Yemen.
In these countries, the diet is based on nutrient-poor cereals and root vegetables.
The study also found:
The most affordable food is in the USA, and the least affordable in Angola.
Best food quality in Iceland, worst in Madagascar.
The biggest problem with obesity is in Kuwait, and with diabetes in Saudi Arabia.
The least fat populations are in Bangladesh, Nepal and Ethiopia.
Malnutrition is most common in Burundi (67% of the population is undernourished, 35% of children are underweight), followed by Yemen, India and Madagascar.
Highest rate of underweight children in India (44%)
The sickest in Saudi Arabia (30% obese, 18% diabetic)
The highest obesity rate is in Kuwait - 42%, followed by the USA and Egypt (33% each).
Surprisingly, some poor countries have fat populations. The top ten fattest countries include Fiji, Mexico and Venezuela.
The researchers noted that the absolute lead in obesity among the population belongs to the island state of Nauru - 71%, but it was not included in the table.
Russia took 45th place in the table, and Ukraine 33rd.
RIA Rating - July 18 Since ancient times, man has been looking for ways to prolong his life. Today, thanks to technological progress, many consider the path to immortality not among the internal resources of the body, but in the results of various developments, and the help of science and technology is involved. In this regard, the number of studies is increasing, and the production of all kinds of drugs is growing. According to data published by the research agency IMS Health, in 2012 the global pharmaceutical market was worth about $1 trillion, which is approximately half of Russia's GDP, and the market continues to grow rapidly. The potential and significance of the pharmaceutical market is enormous. Moreover, almost half of the pharmaceutical market is exported. In order to determine who plays the leading roles in the global drug market, as well as what place Russia occupies in it, RIA Rating experts prepared a rating of the largest pharmaceutical exporting countries based on the results of 2012.
World leaders in the pharmaceutical market
According to the 2012 World Bank and United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics Database rankings, Germany is the top pharmaceutical exporter with nearly $67 billion in exports. The share of German pharmaceutical exports is about 30% of the country's supply of all chemical products abroad, but due to the diversified structure of foreign trade in total merchandise exports, this share is small - only 4%. The production of pharmaceutical products in Germany follows the typical model of developed countries - great importance is given to new research and development. For example, in 2011 alone, about 10.5 billion euros were invested in pharmaceutical R&D in this country.
Switzerland occupies second place in the ranking of countries for the export of pharmaceutical products. Exports of pharmaceutical products in this country reached $54 billion last year. Pharmaceuticals are the undisputed leader of the Swiss industry. Switzerland's position is particularly strong in the production of antipyretic drugs, vitamins, anti-cancer interferon, and drugs for the treatment of AIDS. The Swiss chemical industry is also characterized by a high level of R&D spending. According to such an indicator as the percentage of R&D costs from income, the Swiss Hoffmann-La-Roche with 32% is the second pharmaceutical company in the world after the American Pfizer (35%), and in absolute values of research costs, Swiss companies are certainly the leaders. One in four Swiss francs spent on research and innovation is in the pharmaceutical industry.
Belgium is in third place in the ranking with a pharmaceutical export volume of $44 billion. The country’s high position is explained by the fact that large companies such as Pfizer and GSK have completely transferred the production of vaccines to Belgium, which make up the majority of the country’s pharmaceutical exports. In addition, Belgium specializes in the re-export of pharmaceutical products, which includes both processing of original products, as well as sorting and repackaging. This is also confirmed by the large volume of imports of pharmaceutical products.
The United States, which ranks 4th in the ranking, despite the large-scale transfer of production by American pharmaceutical giants to other countries, continues to play a very important role in the global pharmaceutical trade arena. Often this country is the “trendsetter” in the production and trade of pharmaceutical products; we can note the introduction of three stages of clinical trials, or government stimulation of the production of drugs for rare diseases. Among the 50 largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, according to Current Partnering, 18 are American.
The top five is closed by France, which, with pharmaceutical exports of $34 billion, along with other developed European countries, develops and supplies a large number of medicines, cosmetics and other similar products to the world market.
In general, it is not surprising that the top twenty of the ranking includes mainly developed European countries. This is explained by the fact that pharmaceutical production is associated with high costs for research and development of new drugs. In addition, often the process of manufacturing pharmaceutical products itself requires high costs for equipment, qualified personnel, etc.
Russia occupies only 36th place in the ranking of exports of pharmaceutical products. Exports of Russian pharmaceuticals are relatively small (about 600 million dollars - 100 times less than Germany). At the same time, for every 1 dollar received from the export of pharmaceutical products of the country, at the end of 2012, 21 dollars were imported. This suggests that the country lacks domestic research and development in this area to adequately meet domestic needs for drugs and other pharmaceutical products.
"Assembly sites" for drugs
When considering the positions of countries in terms of the share of exports of pharmaceutical products in total exports, it can be established that only in a small number of countries sales of pharmaceutical products occupy a significant place in the total exports of all industrial goods.
According to calculations, the first place in terms of the share of pharmaceuticals in exports is occupied by Ireland with an export volume of 23% of the country’s total merchandise exports. Ireland is home to many of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers, such as Pfizer, Merck & Co., Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, as well as a number of medical device companies. In total, there are about 150 enterprises related to pharmaceutical production in this small country. However, only about a third of them are local producers. They fulfill orders from foreign manufacturers and also produce vitamins, generics and dietary supplements. Despite the fact that Ireland is not characterized by its own research, this country, acting as a production site, is a kind of “China of pharmaceuticals”. A similar pattern is observed in a number of other countries, for example India. Indian companies use various strategies to compete, including concentrating their efforts on various regional growth markets, producing generic drugs, and providing outsourcing services.
Second place, with a large gap from the leader, is occupied by Switzerland with a share of 16%. The chemical industry (and pharmaceuticals, as part of it) has traditionally been one of the most important industries in Switzerland. Next comes Belgium with a 14% share of pharmaceutical exports. About twenty international companies have chosen Belgium to establish their production bases, not only to supply the domestic market with products, but also to supply markets in other countries.
Specific pharmaceutical exports: Russia’s sad position
If we consider countries by pharmaceutical exports per capita, the top three rankings for this indicator are Switzerland ($7.1 thousand), Ireland ($6.5 thousand) and Belgium ($4.2 thousand), which also confirms their importance in pharmaceutical trade products on the world stage. At the same time, the USA and Germany, having significant exports of pharmaceutical products ($40 and 67 billion, respectively) in absolute terms, due to good diversification and the large volume of their economies, do not occupy very high positions in this indicator. It is noteworthy that 4th place is occupied by Singapore, which belongs to the so-called “East Asian tigers”, which characterizes the rapid rise of the economy to a level comparable to that of developed countries. The entire pharmaceutical industry of this country today occupies more than 16% of total industrial production, and exports exceed Russian ones by 10 times.
Due to its export orientation, Slovenia ranks fifth in exports of pharmaceutical products per capita. The leading Slovenian pharmaceutical company KRKA is one of the largest generic drug manufacturing companies in Europe and supplies products to many countries around the world. The company has quickly grown into a significant player in the Eastern European market through a number of successful acquisitions. The key foreign markets for Slovenian pharmaceutical products are Croatia, Poland and Russia. For comparison, Russian pharmaceutical exports per capita (almost 4.5 dollars) are 300 times less than those of Slovenia and 1600 times less than those of Switzerland.
The share of Russian pharmaceutical exports in total merchandise exports is also low and amounts to only 0.1%, which is generally not surprising. To develop the Russian pharmaceutical industry, including increasing the share of exports, according to the opinion, it is necessary to find a combination of pharmaceutical production models from developed Western and developing Eastern countries. It may be reasonable to provide Russian production facilities for large foreign companies, to produce generics on a larger scale, and at the same time increase spending on R&D and innovation. This will ultimately allow the Russian pharmaceutical industry to compete in the European market, but only in those segments in which we are not yet hopelessly behind.
Russia and Kazakhstan took 44th place (Belarus 57th) in the world in terms of food quality, losing 10 positions to Ukraine. As part of the study conducted by the Oxfam concern, about 125 countries of the world took part, of which Russia took 44th place, Ukraine took 33rd place, but the championship was taken by countries producing organic products from Europe (Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria).
“We have not yet learned to navigate food abundance,” says nutritionist Elena Solomatina.
According to her, most of our population still has not gotten rid of old consumer habits. “Some products used to be hard to find and were stored for the holidays. As a rule, it was not the healthiest food - all kinds of sprats, mayonnaise, sausages, soda... And it was believed that everything of the highest quality was produced abroad. Once upon a time this was true. A lot has changed since then, but people still make a choice in favor of these products,” the expert said. And she added that marketing plays a significant role here - people fall for bright packaging and recognizable brands.
Outdated consumer habits and an unhealthy love of imports are the main problems of our diet.
But in the end, we came to the conclusion that the average domestic consumer rarely thinks about his own food, choosing more harmful products, Solomatina believes. After all, the negative consequences of such nutrition do not appear immediately. “We haven’t yet learned to pay attention to the ingredients on food labels,” she laments.
But still, the situation is changing along with the increase in the quality of life. Yes, and we are slowly starting to get rid of food stereotypes. More and more young people are going to stores, not knowing what a shortage is. And they approach their shopping choices differently. So, in future similar ratings, the place of the CIS countries will most likely be higher.
Who is hungry today?
Recent data shows that 840 million people go hungry every day, despite having enough food for the hungry.
Causes of hunger include lack of investment:
- into infrastructure in developing countries
- to small farms,
- security, ban on trade agreements,
Research suggests it could increase the number of people at risk of hunger by 20 to 50 percent by 2050.
"This figure shows quite clearly that although there is enough food in the world, we are still unable to feed everyone in every country in the world," said Deborah Hardoon, senior researcher at Oxfam.
“If we had a more equal distribution of wealth and resources, and in particular food, this would not be a problem,” she added.
The Oxfam rankings are based on data collected between October and December 2013, using the latest information from the World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Fund, International Labor Organization and other international organizations.
The report provides a snapshot based on relative differences across countries based on quantitative factors. But Hardoon said that's not the full picture.
The situation with nutrition is best in Europe - in most countries of the continent, products are available to the entire population, their prices are low and stable, the quality is satisfactory and does not cause such common diseases as obesity and diabetes.
In the poorest countries of Africa and Southeast Asia, the situation is exactly the opposite - there is not enough food, prices are high and unstable. And Russia and other CIS countries took a place approximately in the middle between these two poles. These are the main conclusions of the “Good Enough to Eat” rating of 125 countries, published by the international union Oxfam - the Oxford Famine Relief Committee, which was created in Britain in 1942 (see chart on page 1).
When compiling the summary rating, experts analyzed four main indicators: food availability; level and stability of food prices; quality of products; their impact on public health. Thus, the first criterion measured the degree of malnutrition and the number of children with low weight. According to this indicator, the situation is best in the Netherlands. Food availability is worst in Burundi, where 67% of the population is poorly nourished and 35% of children are underweight. True, in India the number of low birth weight children is even higher - 44%, and this is the lowest figure in the world.
The second criterion reflects the level of food prices and their variability. The United States is the leader here, where food is cheap and prices are stable. However, the quality of food is so poor that the United States ranks only 21st overall in the ranking. Of the developed countries, the most expensive products are in the UK, and the country with the most expensive food and unstable prices is Angola.
In terms of food quality, Iceland is named the best, where the food is varied and the drinking water is of excellent quality. But since many people here suffer from obesity and diabetes, the country as a whole only took 13th place. The worst country for food quality is the Republic of Madagascar. Diet-related health indicators are worst in Kuwait, where 42% of residents are obese, and Saudi Arabia, where 18% of the population has diabetes. Residents of Bangladesh, Nepal and Ethiopia have the best health in these indicators - there is almost no obesity here, and diabetes rates are also low.
Based on the sum of all four criteria, the nutrition situation in the Netherlands is most favorable - this country took first place in the ranking. According to Oxfam senior researcher Deborah Hardun, the Netherlands has created a market that allows people to get enough food. Prices remain quite low and at the same time stable. And what people eat in this country is quite balanced. The Dutch are followed by France, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Italy and Portugal. In the “tail” of the ranking are African countries: Chad, Ethiopia, Angola, and Yemen.
Russia shares 44th place with Kazakhstan, Moldova, Mexico, Chile and the Maldives. Our closest neighbors - Ukraine and Estonia - are in 35th and 25th place, respectively. Kyrgyzstan lags behind - it is in 65th place.
The countries of the former USSR were not among the leaders in the ranking in terms of food availability, although their indicators are more favorable than, for example, most countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. In terms of food quality, Russia is significantly ahead of India and South Africa, and in terms of food sufficiency in the domestic market, the Russian indicator is much higher than that of many other countries of the former USSR, India and South Africa. As for price stability, Belarus is ahead of everyone in price growth among the countries of the former USSR, and Estonia remains the leader in stability. In Russia, prices are rising, but not as quickly as their neighbors in the Customs Union. The assessment of food quality in the domestic market of the Russian Federation is also average compared to other countries of the former USSR. In general, both this rating and other assessments of the food situation coincide: the level of 2011 is maintained or the indicators are only slightly higher than it.
Thus, according to pan-European statistics and RIA-Analytika research based on it, Russia in 2011 was one of the few European countries where domestic food prices grew at a slow rate. The weighted average increase in food prices did not exceed 3%, while in other countries of the former USSR it was no lower than 5.5%, and, for example, in Turkey and Cyprus - over 12%. But the leader in rising food prices in both Europe and the former USSR was Belarus - they grew by more than 23%. According to Oxfam research, the rise in food prices in the republic continues, although it has slowed down compared to 2012.
At the recent forum "Agroholdings of Russia-2013", participants said that in comparisons of this kind the geographical factor should play a decisive role. The size of the territory of the Russian Federation is not comparable with this indicator of many developed countries, and the geography of population distribution is also significantly different. Hence the unevenness in production, consumption, food quality and food prices.
“For natural and geographical reasons, it is advisable to compare the indicators of the Russian agro-industrial complex with the indicators of countries similar in size and geography - Canada, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand,” Ekaterina Kondratyuk, an expert at the Agromax agency, explained to RBG: “To saturate the market, for example, Holland or Denmark, whose territory is smaller than the Moscow region and whose population density is higher, is much easier and faster than the markets of Russia or Canada.
